Tetanus vaccination programme

A full course of tetanus vaccination consists of five doses of the vaccine. This should be enough to give you long-term protection from tetanus.

However, if you're not sure how many doses you've received, you may need a booster dose after an injury that breaks your skin.

If you've definitely received five doses of the tetanus vaccine, you are fully vaccinated and don't need a booster dose.

Treatment with tetanus immunoglobin

If you have a tetanus-prone wound, get medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you've been fully vaccinated.

Public Health England defines tetanus-prone wounds as:

wounds or burns that need surgery, but where surgery cannot be performed within 24 hours

wounds or burns where a significant amount of tissue has been removed, or puncture-type injuries such as animal bites, particularly if they have had contact with soil or manure

wounds containing any substance that shouldn't be there, such as dust or dirt (foreign bodies)

serious fractures where the bone is exposed and prone to infection (compound fractures)

wounds and burns in people who have systemic sepsis, a fall in blood pressure resulting from a serious bacterial infection

If you have a tetanus-prone wound and it's considered to be high risk, treatment with tetanus immunoglobulin (TIG) is recommended. TIG is a solution that contains infection-fighting cells (antibodies) that kill the tetanus bacteria. You will need TIG even if you're fully vaccinated against tetanus.